Apple growers in Washington State have finally broken free of restrictions in China that only allow them to export Red and Golden Delicious varieties to the East Asian nation.

In a release, the Washington Apple Commission said the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and China's General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) had reached an agreement to allow all apple varieties from all U.S. growing regions into the market.

The commission said the deal was reached during bilateral lateral negotiations in San Francisco last week, highlighting that full access should be realized in the coming weeks.

"The Washington apple industry has changed tremendously since we first gained access to China in 1994," said commission president Todd Fryhover.

"Red and Golden Delicious now account for less than 40% of our overall volume, and gaining access for the rest of our varieties allows us to provide Chinese consumers with more high quality choices from Washington."

The commission highlighted that while China was the world's largest apple producer, it was also a major market for Washington apples with more than three million 40lb cartons sent to the market during the 2010-11 marketing year, with an estimated US$55 million in revenue.

After that season, when China was Washington's fourth largest export market for apples, AQSIQ halted permits in August of 2012 citing concerns over a recently discovered fungus. Access was later regained for Red and Golden Delicious varieties in October last year.

Commission chair Barbara Walkenhauer described the market opening as a "welcome bright spot" amid a record crop year that had seen unexpected negative impacts from the West Coast port slowdown, the Russian ban on U.S. agricultural exports, the world-wide effects of a strengthening dollar and a potential anti-dumping case in Mexico.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the announcement was the culmination of decades of hard work by USDA staff.

"These efforts will result in high quality, fresh U.S. apple varieties available for consumers in China and a significant boost in sales for American apple producers," Vilsack said.

"USDA values the relationship we are forging with China to bring mutually-beneficial food and agricultural trade to Americans and Chinese alike.

"The past six years have been the strongest in history for agricultural trade, with U.S. agricultural product exports totaling $771.7 billion since 2009. Strong agricultural exports contribute to a positive U.S. trade balance, create jobs and boost economic growth."

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